Rådhusgatan 48 - Carl Daniel Renström

Carl Daniel Renström

Manufacturer, ship-owner and merchant

(b. 1824 - d. 1913)

Carl Daniel Renström was known for the spirits he produced in a factory that was situated just behind this building. At the age of 23, he was granted the rights to engage in trade, and four years later he bought this building and expanded it to the size we know today.

In 1865, he received a licence to start manufacturing spirits. He was soon producing liquors, punsch, fruit and berry wines, sea-buckthorn schnapps, and vinegar. His most popular product was punsch that he matured in huge oak barrels.

Renström had not one but two shops in this building. At the time, there were two entrances from the street Rådhusgatan. One of these doors led to a grocery shop, the other to his spirits store. A competitor lurked just around the corner and would always shout at passers-by: "Don't go to Renström - he sells only dishwater. Come to my shop. My drinks will knock your socks off."

Renström was well-liked by the locals of Kaskinen, and even that competitor's judgement of the quality of his products could not keep his factory from being successful. He ran the operation right up to his death, at age 89. As were most wealthy men in Kaskinen, Renström was a ship-owner and was a co-owner of several trade ships.

The building is a museum today. Its lovely veranda remains, retaining the moniker "the punch veranda" as a reminder of its history. Visitors may also notice that stars are painted on the ceiling. This gave birth to a saying heard in Kaskinen when there is a lot of something: "as many as the stars in Renström's sky".